1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments relate to systems and methods for providing electronic communication. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods of providing a user interface for use in connection with composing and sending an electronic communication.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Computing devices (e.g., computers, tablets, and smart phones) have created numerous ways for people to connect and communicate with one another. For example, a variety of electronic communication systems provide various methods to send and receive electronic messages. For instance, a computing device can allow a user to communicate with other users using text messaging, instant messaging, social network posts, and other forms of electronic communication. In addition, an electronic communication may include a variety of content, including, text, images, video, and/or other data. In general, electronic communication has become one of the most popular ways in which people connect and communicate with one another.
Due to the wide variety of ways in which people can communicate using electronic communication systems, as well as the convenience and mobility of electronic communication, users are often faced with receiving and sending a large number of electronic messages on a daily basis. To increase the efficiency of sending and receiving electronic messages, many conventional electronic communication systems allow a user to include a symbol (e.g., an emoticon) within an electronic message as a shortcut form of communication. A symbol can represent a shortcut form of communication because less user input (e.g., less typing) may be required to include a symbol in an electronic communication compared to communicating the same message using conventional text. Thus, including symbols in an electronic message may allow a user to shortcut the need to type several words, or even sentences.
Although using symbols can increase the efficiency of sending and receiving electronic messages, several disadvantages exist with respect to the conventional use of symbols within electronic communications. For example, users often desire more granularity in the message, sentiment, or thought expressed by conventional symbols. Most conventional symbols, however, are purposefully designed to represent a single message, sentiment, or thought. Thus, when a symbol does not exactly match a user's intended message, the user is forced to either take extra time to enter several words or sentences, or send a symbol that inadequately expresses the user's intended message.
To address the lack of message granularity of conventional symbols, some conventional electronic communications systems include a library that includes a large number of symbols in an attempt to provide the user with a symbol that more closely matches the user's intended message. The symbol libraries, however, can cause the user to scroll or search through a large number of symbols to locate the most appropriate symbol. Unfortunately, the amount of time it takes the user to locate the symbol in the symbol library is usually greater than the amount of time it would have taken for the user to simply type the message in the first place.
In addition, due to the large number of electronic communication system providers, many of which provide a large number of symbols to include in an electronic message, the meanings of many symbols are not clear and may be confusing to users. For example, a user sending an electronic message may select a symbol intending to express a positive sentiment. The user receiving the electronic message, however, may interpret the symbol as expressing a negative sentiment due to the lack of familiarity with the symbol. The confusion created due to the large number of available symbols causes the electronic communication to be less efficient and more frustrating to the users.
Accordingly, there are a number of considerations to be made in improving electronic communications.